Salvatioin Indeed

This is the newest book in J.D. Robb's "In Death Series". This book was quite as action packed as some of her books have been in the past, but it was still quite interesting. In this book, Eve must find the killer of a well known priest who is not so holy as one seems.

Father Flores conducts the mass for the beloved Hector Ortiz, who has recently passed away from natural causes. As Father Flores partakes of the blood of Christ he dies in a quick and sudden death. Eve is called to the scene to find justice for the fallen father. But something seems off with this priest, and Eve can't quite put her finger on it. As she begins to dig deeper she finds that this "Father" wasn't quite a man of God. It begins with a single trinket in the bare, cold room of "Father Flores". The trinket found says "Lino, May La Virgen de Guadlupe watch over you- Mama". Interesting is it not, that a trinket in Father Miguel Flores' room would have a name not belonging him.

Along the investigation another "man of God" is killed. Connection? Serial Killer? Copy Cat? But what are the connections? Jimmy Jay Jenkins was not a 'regular' or 'orthodox' priest. No, he was a born again Christian who created his own church - the Church of the Eternal Light. But what's interesting is that Jimmy Jay and Father Flores (who is now ID as not being Father Flores) are not related - only the way they died ties them together. After some investigation the real life of Jimmy Jay begins to surface. Again (like Father Flores) he was a man of God but with some 'sins' that tarnished his image. After a quick investigation Eve finds the criminal and locks him away.

The case of Lino is still ongoing. Lino ( aka Father Flores) was a known gang leader for Los Soledados (sp sry) and was known for being tied to the two bombing back in 2043 as well as other gang acticities. But Eve has to answer why Lino was acting as Father Flores. The why takes her back to 2043 and answers/shows as nice con that stretched until the present.

This book was very interesting, however it wasn't quite as action packed as I'm used to her books being. Usually JD has multiple story lines going in every single direction with Eve and the middle. I found the Jimmy Jay story to be an little annoying. It was a minor story that was solved too quickly - and sense it wasn't connected to the first (main) murder it was solved very quickly. I was happy to read again the story containing Eve Dallas and Roarke, and Peabody and McNab. I can't wait for her 30th book! I love this series!!! (I'm re-reading the whole series from the begining....Naked in Death review to follow soon!!)

1. Naked in Death
2. Glory in Death
3. Immortal in Death
4. Rapture in Death
5. Ceremony in Death
6. Vengeance in Death
7. Holiday in Death
8. Midnight in Death
9. Conspiracy in Death
10. Loyalty in Death
11. Witness in Death
12. Judgment in Death
13. Betrayal in Death
14. Interlude in Death
15. Seduction in Death
16. Reunion in Death
17. Purity in Death
18. Portrait in Death
19. Imitation in Death
20. Divided in Death
21. Visions in Death
22. Survivor in Death
23. Origin in Death
24. Memory in Death
25. Born in Death
26.Innocent in Death
27. Creation in Death
28. Strangers in Death
29. Salvation in Death


Also reviewed in Dear Author


'Jane' said "I’m of two minds about this book. The mystery was excellent. This was no thriller with marauding serial killers, but ...

and reviewed in Book Binge

Casse said "While there obviously was interaction between all the characters we know and love, Salvation in Death was more about the mystery than anything else."

Salvation in Death by JD Robb G.P. Putnam's Sons NY 2008

FANTASTIC!!!!

This is such a wonderful book!! I remember the first time I ever heard about this book: 6th grade. At first I had no idea who "Harry Potter" was or what "Quiditch" is. I did not start reading the series until the 8th grade, and even then I didn't let myself quite enjoy them, for fear I'd be mocked as a nerd or geek. She puts the scope of the whole "Harry Potter Phenomenon" into a wonderful picture. I did not even begin to think that Harry Potter has such an impact on the world. I knew it was a quite popular book but not that popular.

The very first page of the very fist chapter hooks you in. Suddenly your eye are racing across the page in a rapid furry trying to keep up with the sudden feeling of urgency you feel. You know of course (if you've read the HP series) what she is hinting too, but still you can't help but feel as if your back in time, waiting for the final release of the HP book. You meet her, and her friends as the hold their breaths in excitement. As the book continues you meet her at the beginning: her first time ever hearing the series and just like HP you learn about her rise to fame too as "award-winning webmistress of the Leaky Cauldron".

Each chapter doesn't just lightly touch upon HP and his ties to the world: she goes into a depth I would never have been able to comprehend. For instance the internet. What could the internet ever have to do with a book especially in the 90's? Well everything. It not only helped millions of HP fans make web-sites to honor and adore him, but allowed an outlet for fanfic - writing about the characters outside of the book, and not written by JKR herself. And did you know about Harry and the Potter? I certainly did not before this book, I didn't even know that people had created bands from having read the series.

But in one part of the book, I finally had proof to why the Classandra Clare series "Cit of __" hit me so hard with HP tones. It's because she herself was a fanfic author! She became well known for her "Draco Malfoy" trilogy......and Jace from her "City of ___" is just like Malfoy only this time he isn't overshadowed by HP, and we get to know him from the start as a troubled boy much like HP and there we are allowed to fall in love with him.

I was so happy that she got to meet JKR herself! How cool would that be?! She wrote this book marvelously and I am highly recommending it to my friends, I hope you will enjoy it too!

This book is also reviewed by 5-Squared . They said " I highly recommend this book for any and all Harry Potter fans."





Harry, A History. By Melissa Anelli. Pocket Books, NY (c) 2008

Beautiful Let Down (song title from Switchfoot)

I feel like the title for this next review fits my feelings for the second book quite well. In-fact I was thinking today about what I should write about it. I am still very much frustrated with the author. I learned not to long ago that she was (or is) a fan fiction writer for Harry Potter. That makes sense to me, not having read any of her Harry Potter books or reading about her. As it is, I found that it interfered with the story so much so it almost became distracting to me. It kept popping up and making me think of the series (its plots and characters) that I would often find myself getting off track and having to re-read what I last read. It will amuse you soon, because I just checked out a book from the library dealing with Harry Potter and all his "fans". Anyway I don't want to completely bash the book. It was good for all it was worth. Although I have a nagging feeling about Jace and Clary's relationship. I keep hoping it wont be true, that maybe someone was lying....Igomen hinted at it. I was about to jump out of my seat and yell "I KNEW IT!" but sadly it didn't happen as such.

The problem I'm finding is that I can't remember the beginning of the book, and that is not good. I can tell you the beginning of other books just fine, and I haven't read those in a year or two. I sit here scrambling in my brain, pushing aside the thoughts of today's activities so I can think of the beginning but I can't. Ha! I just remember :)

Ok, so this is how it begings....
Lord Voldermort, oh wait I'm sorry...Valentine got some foolish warlock to open a portal and summon the most fear causing demon Aragom. Sadly for the warlock the demon's power deals with finding the person's fear and making it come true....so for the warlock that meant the demon coming through his (warlock's wards) and killing him. Valentine becomes happy when the demon has killed the warlock and is now under his control. Hmph, I lost the plot again. The book was good, but if I'm having problems remembering the plot, then it might not have been that good.

To sum it up and not give away any twists it was basically:
1) more feelings between Simon and Clary (almost to the point that it was like "ugh this part again"
2)More feelings between Clary and Jace (which i hope the story behind them is NOT true)
3) more feelings b/w Alec and Magnus (which i admire the author for writing about)
4) SLOW MOVING PLOT WITH SOME FAST ACTION TO MIX IT UP, this made it SO HARD for me to read the book at times. I must've put the book down at least 3840384389 times saying "UGH this book needs to move faster, its too slow.." or "am i there yet?!?!"

I will say this, I am interested in the 3rd book. I read on Books and Other Thoughts that it is due out soon, good. I must say though, that as far as winding character connections and motives this book does quite well. I just wish it was so "Harry Potter" cluttered sometimes.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 2008

City of OMG!

Clary Fray is a "normal" girl of fifteen who loves to go to clubs and bring her unwilling friend Simon. One of her favorite clubs is Pandemonium. The story begins with her and Simon in line for Pandemonium, where a blue haired cute guy catches the eye of Clary. Little does she know that he is actually a demon from the Downworld. As her and Simon are dancing on the dance floor, she sees the blue haired guy sneak into a dark room with a tall, slim, black haired beauty. But then something else catches her eye, two black shadows going to the same room and one has a knife. She yells at Simon to get a bouncer and then follows the two dark shadows in to the dark room.
What she sees startles here: 3 warrior people with strange markings and 1 defenseless "person". Just as one of the boys is about to make the killing blow, Clary shouts for him to stop After the demon is killed the 3 turn to Clary. Clary asks them why they killed the helpless boy? When she goes to look at the spot of the dead boy, there is no body. She is told that he was no person, but a demon who is from the Downworld. Downworlders are warlocks, demons, and witches. They tell her that they are Shadowhunters, people who protect the vampiers, werewolces, and "mundies" or mundane people, people who do not do magic or see Downworlders.

The next day she is yelled at by her mother, for staying out too late. When Simon asks her to go to a poetry reading with her she agrees, and ignores her mother's plea for her to stay home. While at the poetry reading she notices one of the boys from the other night is right behind her. They go outside to speak and just then her mother calls. When she picks up her mother tells her to never come home and then she hears a loud crash and then the phone goes dead.
She runs back to her mother's house to see if she can help her mom. As she walks back in to her house she finds the house in shambles. When she reaches her room she is greeted by a monster. She fights with the monster and barely makes it alive. When she awakens the next day, she finds her old way of life lost to her. She begins a mission to find her mother and the person responsible.

I found it to be a mix of some books. At times it felt like I was reading a Harry Potter book: Lord Valentine reminded me of Lord Voldermort, Jace reminded me of Harry Potter: both parents lost, a lost soul, trying to find a place to belong. And at other times it felt like I was reading a Laurel K. Hamilton book: werewolves and demons, and vampires all about. But this is a wonderful book, and the plot was superb! I loved how there were many twists and my heart raced along Clary's as she was running. My only complaint would be that at times it did seem to be a little to long, and I know this sounds like a contradiction from what I just wrote. At some points is seemed slow: a too long discription. Other factor that some what bothered me was that the POV (point of view) would change subelt and throw me off. It would switch from first to omnicent. Towards the end of the book the aurthor throws a curve ball that blows Harry Potter's stories out of the water, and I dont really believe that Jace is really the son of.....well you'll have to read the book. But I highly recomend it. In fact I'm already into the second book!


This is book 1 in her The Mortal Instruments Series.

1) City of Bones
2)City of Ashes

City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Simon Pusle, NY 2007

New Year

I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year!! I hope I can stick to all my resolutions! May this New Year be great to everyone :)